Patent Application
20170275808
The present invention relates to dryer vents. More specifically, the present invention includes an inlet pipe, a front plate, an insert, and a back plate wherein the inlet pipe connects to the back of a dryer and partially insert into an outlet pipe.
Dryers must have adequate ventilation in order to remove heat and lint generated from the operation thereof. When installing dryer vent systems there is limited space available to do the work. Dryers are typically fitted into a space straddled by walls, a washing machine, cabinets, or shelving. Conventional installation requires the dryer to be located four to six inches away from the wall in order to allow ductwork to be placed therebetween. Unfortunately, the ductwork consumes a large amount of unusable space between the dryer and the wall. Thus, there is a need for a dryer vent system that allows a dryer to be placed closer to the wall.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of dryer vents now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an appliance ventilation assembly wherein the same can be utilized for providing convenience for the user when installing a dryer close to the wall.
The present system comprises an inlet pipe including a first end and a second end, wherein the inlet pipe is tapered from the first end to the second end. The first end is configured to connect to the back of a dryer and the second end is configured to fasten to a front side of a back plate. The front plate, the insert, and the back plate each include a first opening, a second opening, and a third opening, respectively, adapted to receive the second end of the inlet pipe, wherein the insert is disposed between the front plate and the back plate and is adapted to retain a press fit to the inlet pipe. The back plate includes an outlet pipe disposed on a back side configured to be attached at the circumference of the third opening. A rear end of the outlet pipe is configured to attach to an exterior pipe.
Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and manner in which it may be made and used may be better understood after a review of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout.
Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the appliance ventilation assembly. The figures are intended for representative purposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in any respect.
Referring now to
The first end 16 includes a first clamp 19 disposed on the outer circumference to secure the inlet pipe 12 to an outlet of a dryer. In the illustrated embodiment, the first clamp 19 is a worm gear clamp. However, in alternate embodiments, the first clamp 19 is a vent gear clamp, stainless steel duct clamp, or any suitable clamp of any suitable material. The first clamp 19 helps secure and seal the inlet pipe 12 to the outlet of the dryer.
The inlet pipe 12 further includes a boss 20 disposed on the exterior circumference between the first end 16 and the second end 17. In the illustrated embodiment, the boss 20 is an integral, raised feature of the inlet pipe 12. However, in alternate embodiments, the boss 20 is a separate piece sized to fit around the outer circumference of the inlet pipe 12. A front side 21 of the back plate 15 receives the boss 20. The boss 20 and the second end 17 of the inlet pipe 12 are inserted through the first opening 18 of the front plate 13 and the second opening 28 of the insert 14 allowing the boss 20 to engage with the front side 21.
The appliance ventilation assembly 11 includes the front plate 13 and the back plate 15. In the illustrated embodiment, the front plate 13 includes the first opening 18 disposed towards the center thereof. The back plate 15 includes the front side 21 and a back side 22 wherein the back side 22 includes an outlet pipe 25. In the illustrated embodiment, the outlet pipe 25 extends 2½ inches out from the back plate 15. However, in alternate embodiments, the outlet pipe 25 is shorter than 2½0 inches or longer than 2½ inches, such as the length of the wall thickness.
The back side 22 includes the outlet pipe 25 configured to be attached at the circumference of the third opening 24. The outlet pipe 25 extends through a wall adapted to attach to an exterior pipe 31 (as seen in
The appliance ventilation assembly 11 includes the insert 14. The insert 14 is configured to fit between the front plate 13 and the back plate 15. The insert 14 includes the second opening 28 configured to be aligned with the first opening 18 and the third opening 24. The insert 14 is composed of a flexible material wherein the flexible material is adapted to retain a press fit to the inlet pipe 12. In the illustrated embodiment, the insert 14 is a rubber gasket. However, in alternate embodiments, the insert 14 is composed of silicone, EPDM (Ethylene propylene diene terpolymer), or any suitable type of material adapted to retain the press fit.
When one or more apertures 29 receive a fastener 30, a user may selectively bias the fasteners 30 such that the insert 14 places pressure against the boss 20 which in turn places pressure against the front side 21, thereby providing the inlet pipe 12 with a secure fit. The second end 17 of the inlet pipe 12 is partially inserted into the outlet pipe 25, wherein the inlet pipe 12 cannot be removed from the front plate 13, the insert 14, and the back plate 15 unless each of the fasteners 30 are removed.
In the illustrated embodiment, the front plate 13, the insert 14, and the back plate 15 are rectangular in shape. However, in alternate embodiments, the front plate 13, the insert 14, and the back plate 15 are any suitable shape, such as circular. In the illustrated embodiment, the front plate 13, the insert 14, and the back plate 15 are configured to be identical in length and width to allow for a compact assembly wherein length is defined as a long side and width is defined as a short side. However, in alternate embodiments, the front plate 13, the insert 14, and the back plate 15 are different in length and width.
The front plate 13, the insert 14, and the back plate 15 each comprise the first opening 18, the second opening 28, and the third opening 24, respectively, to receive the second end 17 of the inlet pipe 12. Each of the openings 18, 28, 24 are different in size to comprise a secure fit for the second end 17. The first opening 18 allows the boss 20 to fit therethrough. The second opening 28 is smaller than the first opening 18 to create the press fit with the inlet pipe 12. The third opening 24 is smaller than the first opening 18 to allow the second end 17 of the inlet pipe 12 to fit therein, which allows the boss 20 to engage with the front side 21.
Referring now to
In the illustrated embodiment, the insert 14 and the front plate 13 are positioned on a side of the boss 20 disposed towards the first side of the inlet pipe 12. The front side 21 of the back plate 15 is configured to receive the boss 20 on the inlet pipe 12. The boss 20 and the second end 17 of the inlet pipe 12 are inserted through the first opening of the front plate 13 and the second opening of the insert 14 allowing the boss 20 to engage with the front side 21. When one or more apertures 29 receive a fastener 30, the insert 14 places pressure against the boss 20 which in turn places pressure against the front side 21, thereby providing the inlet pipe 12 with a secure fit.
Referring now to
The outlet of the dryer 32 is affixed to the inlet pipe 12 to allow for fluid communication therebetween which is secured and sealed by the first clamp 19. The front plate 13 and the insert 14 are aligned with one another so as to receive the second end 17 and the boss 20 therethrough wherein the boss 20 comes in contact with the front side on the back plate 15. The front plate 13, the insert 14, and the back plate 15 are secured together with the fasteners 30 through the one or more apertures. The outlet pipe 25 is secured in a channel of the wall 33 which is affixed to the exterior pipe 31 at the rear end 27 and secured with the second damp 26. In the illustrated embodiment, the exterior pipe slides over the outlet pipe 25. However, in alternate embodiments, the outlet pipe 25 slides over the exterior pipe. Moist air and lint from the dryer can flow unobstructed from the dryer 32, through the inlet pipe 12, through the outlet pipe 25, and exit through the exterior pipe 31.
It is therefore submitted that the instant invention has been shown and described in various embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/313,315 filed on Mar. 25, 2016. The above identified patent application is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62313315 | Mar 2016 | US |
